Solo tents - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

im trying to decide on a new tent im thinking either a walrus zoid or sd lightyear. any input on these or other tents would be great.

high adventure

#2

A year back, I had the good fortune of borrowing a friend’s Walrus Zoid 1.5 for a weeklong hike in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. I found it to be lightweight, a snap to set up, and appropriate for the extremes of three-season hiking.

We had torrential downpours and lightning for three days, and so I spent three days cooped up in my Zoid. No room for entertaining, but so much better than a bivy of similar weight. Plenty of room to shift position, prop my torso up while reading, curl up, stretch, … Plus, I could fit my pack and gear, plus boots, in with me, so I avoided getting all that stuff soaked.

My pal told me that he had done an initial seam seal, kind of rushing through the job, when he first got the Zoid. After having problems during the first rain, he painstakingly re-sealed the seam with a medical syringe, and has not had a single drop of rain find its way through since.

Ventilation is exceptionally good for a tent of this design. Even during light rain, you can get plenty of fresh air.

One word of advice if you choose a Walrus: take extra care to properly stake the primary guy points. For some reason, Walrus tents seem to be designed to flap around in the wind at high decibals if you don’t stake them properly so they stand taut.

My recommendation: if you want something larger than a bivy but smaller than a full tent, go with the Walrus.

Teddy Roosevelt

#3

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: Walrus makes the Zoid in 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 (as far as I know, that’s it). The only reason that I can see for choosing the Zoid 1.0 over a bivy is the ventilation factor. It won’t be any improvement if you’re claustrophobic! I store-tested a Zoid 2.0 and was impressed by the tent, but for that weight, you can find a better deal. All of this is IMHO, of course. :slight_smile:

Teddy Roosevelt

#4

I used a Zoid 1.5 on the AT this year and would agree with most of what TR said - good tent for weight and money, but be sure to seam seal well - why do they run so many seams right near the ground?? Despite it being a good tent, I ended up mailing the Zoid home to reduce weight and hiked over 1,000 miles with one of Integral Designs new silicon impregnated lightweight nylon tarps. At 14 oz, it’s awesomely lightweight, and you use a hiking pole as the center pole [and, yes - after 30 years of never using hiking poles, the snow, ice, mud and steep terrain in and around the Smokies convinced me to buy a pair and I have NEVER regretted it!]; I then used a Mtn Hardwear bivy sack that had waterproof nylon on the bottom; breathable nylon on the top lower two thirds, with netting for the top one-third. This worked great for me, even in some NASTY buggy areas - BUT there is something comforting about a tent, so you need to think about it based on your own personal preferences. The Integral Designs tarp has a really good design, and the Mtn Hardwear bivy sack is a really good value for the money - I think the tarp sells for around $145.00 and the bivy for around $60.00. Hope this info helps!

Thru-Thinker

#5

Here’s another lightweight tent–3.7 with awesome ventilation, wonderful on a hot, buggy night, or the occasional cool night.(ie, New England from June to September) We had 2 of us in it from New York to Maine, although it was a tad tight, not recommended for 2 guys or those who have a problem with spooning! Only problem is it’s not self standing, but we made do, even setting it up in a few shelters when it was really buggy and rainy. REI has the specs on it.

jkrudolf

#6

Ok, gonna throw in one of my favorite tents since B&B did so. Cheap: $75 or less. The Peak1 cobra. Just right size for solo thru-hiker IMO. Not at all cramped! About 3.5 pounds. Good 3 season. Did I use it on my hike? No. I’m a stupid weight-obsessed freak, so the tent stayed home, but I’ve used it many times before and was happy with it. Worthy of some consideration.

Sweeper

#7

Sorry, the post above Sweeper’s was for the North Face Canyonlands we used. Something happened in posting and not all our comments made it. Nice bug tent at $175. VERY airy.

Bushwhack

#8

I used a Mountain Hardwear Tri-light and a Walrus Zoid 1.o on my thru hike this year ( not at the same time) I liked both, the Trilight was free standing, 3.5 lbs, very well made and kept me dry thru 3 weeks of rain in VA. The door is on the end and it’s sort of hard to get in and out though. I found a Zoid 1.0 on sale and starting using that. It was half a pound lighter and the entry is on the side, plus it has a larger vestibule. I was happy with both tents.

Other solo tents I think look interesting are the Wanderlust Nomad and Stephenson’s Warmlite. Both are lighter ( 2 lbs) and not free standing, and pretty expensive, but I know folks who used them who were happy with them.

Doodlebug

doodlebug